Goa language tussle reaches Sonia’s door

The row over the medium of instruction in Goa schools has now reached the door of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The row over the medium of instruction in Goa schools has now reached the door of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

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The demand that English along with regional languages such as Konkani or Marathi should be permitted as the medium of instruction at the primary level for aided schools has sharply divided the ruling Congress and its coalition partners.

The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a two-member coalition partner in the Congress-led government, is opposed to any change in the policy on the medium of instruction at the primary level.

The government, at present, offers aid and grants only to schools in which Konkani or Marathi is used as the medium of instruction. Congress party's in-charge of Goa Jagmeet Brar has already held several rounds of talks with Central and state leaders. A fresh round of discussion has now been called in Delhi on May 25.

Gandhi is expected to intervene in the language tussle as indicated by Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat who said the Congress president would take a final call on the issue, a move resented by the BJP.

The debate over language comes in the backdrop of the implementation of Right to Education Act, which envisions the child's mother tongue as the medium of instruction.